Dishwashing machine



March 31, 1931. W. UNDGREN 1,798,429

DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed May 2,. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l si. Y im QUI;

March 31,' 1931. w. L.. LINDGREN DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 man www ,im n Nmwk mm um QN Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STAT Es. PATENT OFFICE" WALDEMAR L. LINpGREN, or WAUXEGAN, nmnvols, AssrGNoa or ONE-HALF To ,JOHN annrcssoN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DISHWASHING MACHINE Application med may a, 1929. serial No. 359,917.

My invention is concerned with dish washing apparatus of the type in which the dishes are carried ast spray mechanism upon the upper run oi) an endless carrier consisting of a pair of chains mounted yupon suitable sprocket wheels and connected by parallel transverse rods, and it is designed to produce a device of the class described in which the articles being. washed are supportednot 1o only by the moving rods, but also by a seriesy of small, parallel, stationary, longitudinally-extending wires or rods extending in the line ot movement of the rods connected by the chains, so that as the chains are moved the articles to be washed are shoved along on the longitudinal rods by their engagement with the transverse rods.

It also consists of a novel conveyor structure for use in dish-washing apparatus, but 29 which is capable of use elsewhere.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto two sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate identical parts in all the figures, of which,

Fig. 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section through a dish-washing machine containing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view as seen in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

the line 3-3 o Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a similar view in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. l y

In carryingI out my invention in a preerred form, I employ a pair of side frame members 10 having the feet 11 adaptedv to rest on the bottom of a sink 12, in which the apparatus is ordinarily removably mounted. The side pieces 10 are connected at their endslv by transverse frame members 13 and 14, each of which has a lower transverse bar 15, through which screws 16 are passedpto Li5 connect the frames 13 and 14 with the abutments 17 on thev ends of the side frame meinbers. These transverse bars 15 have at their ends the upwardly-extending, triangular brackets 18, which constitute the support for the skeleton tops 19 of said end frame pieces.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in section on.

Journaled on or secured to the transverse shafts 20 and 21 are the pairs'of sprocket wheels 22 and 23, and these sprocket wheels support andmove an endless carrier or conveyor forvthe dishes, etc., which is preferably constructed las follows:

A plurality kof parallel rods 24, lextending transversely of the apparatus, are connected at their ends to a series of chain links 25, these links being best showniin Fig. 3, and each consisting of a latpiece of metal having the elongated slot 26therein,with the sides thereof parallel exceptat the 'center 27, where they are curved on the arc offa circle and forman aperture large enough to `receive lthe ends of the rods 24, `Near these ends, the rods 24 havenreoesses 28 formed therein of a Width sufficient to accommodate the end of one of the two links 25 which engage the ends ofeach rod, and of a depth so that the distance between the 'bottoms of the recesses is slightly less than thedistance between the parallelsidesl of the slots 26, so that the ends of the rods can'be thrust through the apertures 27 and then slid to the ends of the slots in the links. The rods 24 have therein immediately adjacent the Hatbottomed recesses 28 the annular channels 28 ofa width slightly greater than'the thickness of a chain link and of a depth equal to the maximum depth ofthe recesses 28, so that the end of thelink 25 in said channel 28 is free to turn, as is necessary in passing over the sprocket wheels 22 and 23, while the rods 24 are held from turning in the ends of the links 25 which engage the recesses 28, it being necessary, for reasons to be hereinafter explained, 'to keep the rods 24 from turning as the endless conveyor formed therebypasses over its upper run. The channel 28a is outermost at one end ofthe rod 24', while the recesses 28 are outermost at the other end of the same rod. By turning the adjacent rods end for end, the links 25 of a single pattern can be accommodated to a single pattern of rod.

` Suitable means, such as an electric motorVd gearedy down to a slow s ed, will be connected to one of the sha s 20 or 21 so as to rotatethe wheels in a clockwise direction and thus feed the upper run of the endless carrier from left to right. For the purpose of washing the dishes as they are thus slowly advanced by the carrier, I provide, near the receiving end, a pair of transversely-extending, perforated, spray-pipes 29 and 30, which are connected by the piping indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 with the hotwater faucet 31, so that sprays of hot water may be thrown upwardly through the conveyor from the pipe 29 and downwardly on the dishes carried thereby from the pipe 30. These pipes are preferably provided with the soap boxes 32, by which suicient soap may be taken up by the water passing through the boxes to form a suds, aiding in the cleaning of the dishes. Toward the discharge end of the carrier, I employ the similar spray tubes 33 and 34, similarly connected to the faucet, but not provided with soap boxes, as of course, the rinsing water should be clear. The apparatus thus far described, except as to the details of the chain links and the rods 24, is substantially that shown in my 25 prior application No. 317,176, filed November 5, 1928. In said prior apparatus, in addition to the transverse rods to support the dishes, I employed a series of flexible wires coiled once about each rod as it passed the 3o same,'and held in place by suitable annular grooves in said rods. I found, experimental- 1y, that while this type of carrier enabled me to support small articles, such as knives, forks, spoons, etc., there was a certain tendency for the ends of said articles to pass betw een the transverse rods, and possibly interfere with their free discharge from the conveyor at the end thereof. To remedy this difficulty, I employ the novel construction now to be described:

The end pieces 19 preferably are of a skeleton construction, as shown in Fig. 2, and have the straight inner sides 35 and the outer sides 36, which are likewise straight except for the central portion thereof, which curves in, as seen at 37, in order to form a recess which is convenient in placing the dishes on the receiving end of the apparatus and removing them from the discharge end. The sides 36 have formed therein at suitable intervals the holes 38, and I form on the top of the frame what is in effect a plurality of longitudinally-extending small rods by employing a wire or wires 39, which, beginning at one end, as at 40, are passed through an aperture 38 and there secured, and then extended parallel to the edge of the main frame to the opposite end and passed through the correspondingly located aperture 38, and then turned toward the adjacent aperture, through which it is threaded and then brought up over the top of the har or side piece 36, and then extended arallel to the first portion of the Wire to t e other end piece. 36, where l5 the threading operation is repeated, and so on, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, until the entire surface of the frame just above the carrier is covered. The end of the wire will then be passed through the last aperture 38 at that end of the side piece 36, where itwill be also secured iu place.

If the transverse rods 24 were straight and of uniform diameter throughout, the wires or rods 39 would rest on the top of the rods 24. and there would beno means for propelling the dishes from the receiving to the discharge end of the apparatus. I might in effect embed the wires 39 in the rods 24 by making annular grooves in the rods in the vertical plane of each of the wires, but that would necessitate the employment of larger and heavier rods than is desirable, so that, in order to obviate this necessity, I preferably form the rods 24 as shown in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that they are formed with bends 42 therein, which bends produce recesses 43 ou one side of a suiicient depth so that the wires 39 may be in effect embedded therein, so that articles placed on the wires will be carried along by the movement of the rods 24. The novel rod and chain-link construction described prevents the rods 24 from turning as they pass beneath the wires.

At the discharge end of the machine, I preferably employ a receptacle 44 for the knives, forks, spoons, etc., and this preferably consists of a trough-shaped piece of sheet metal secured at one side to the rear of the adjacent cross piece 15. The intention is that knives, forks, etc., may be allowed to progress to the discharge end and be shoved over the same and into the receptacle 44 by the ones back of them. If for any reason it is desired to stop them, and not allow them to fall into the receptacle, I turn the stop plates 45 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to the dotted-line position, in which the fingers 46 will extend up between the adjacent portions of the wires and engage the articles. These stop pieces 45 may consist of what is in effect an axial portion 47, with 'the fingers 46 projecting therefrom and the handle 48 formed on the outer end thereof. These axial portions 47 may be journaled at their inner ends in recesses formed in the abutments 49 and at their outer ends in recesses 50 formed in the ends of the frame 14.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in 4the form which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of modifications, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

lWhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1, In dishwashing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of wheels journaledtowards the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, closely spaced transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier upon which articles will rest and be held thereon by gravity alone, and a plurality of small parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereover by the transverse rods.

2. In a dish-washing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of pairs of sprocket wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, a plurality of transverse rods connecting said chains, the endsy thereof ormingthe axles of the chain links and co-operating with the sprocket wheels to drive the endless carrier formed by the chains and rods. and a plurality of small parallel longitudinally-extending rods connected to the ends of the frame, and co-operating with the upper side of the upper run of the carrier so that articles placed on the longitudinal rods will be shoved along said rods by the endless carrier.

3. In dish-washing ap aratus, the combination with a frame, o i wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, and a plurality of small parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereovcr by the transverse rods, said longitudinal rods being formed of wires laced into transverse frame members having apertures therein for that purpose.

4. In dish-washing ap aratus, the combination with a frame, o wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, a plurality of small parallel rods eX- tending longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said trans* verse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereover by the transverse rods, and a receptacle secured to the discharge end of the frame so that articles carried upon the carrier will drop therein.

5. In dish-washing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless cha-ins, transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, a plurality of small parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in 'the plane of movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed4 on the longitudinally-extending rods will be car ried thereover by the transverse rods, a receptacle secured to the discharge end of the frame so that articles carried upon the carrier will be dropped therein, and a stop member pivoted in t e discharge end of the frame.

6. In dish-washing ap aratus, the combination with a frame, ov wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains,transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, a plurality of small parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed on the 1ongitudinall -eXtending rods will bevcarried thereover y the transverse rods, a receptacle f secured to the discharge end of the frame so that articles carried upon the carrier will drop therein, and a stop member pivoted in the discharge end of the frame normally in an inoperative position, but capable of being turned'up into position so that it will stop articles and prevent their falling into the receptacle. Y y

. 7. In dish-washing apparatus, the Vcombination with a frame, of'wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, and a plurality ofpvsmall parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in the planeof movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereover by the' transverse rods, the frame having at the ends thereof transverse pieces i having apertures therein through which a wire is threaded so that portions thereof form the longitudinally-extending rods.

8. In dish-washing ap aratus, the com-` bination with a frame, ci) wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, Va pair of endless chains, transverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, a plurality of small parallel rods extending longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said transverse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending 'rods will be carried thereover by the transverse rods, the frame having at the ends thereof transverse pieces 'havingapertures therein through which a wire -is threaded so that portions thereof lform the longitudinally-extending rods, and a stop member pivoted in the transverse frame piece at the discharge end having fingers adapted to be turned up between the longitudinal rods.

9. In dish-washing ap aratus, the combination with a frame, o wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless fchains, transverse rods connecting the chains gitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereover by the transverse rods, the frame having at the ends thereof transverse pieces having apertures therein through which a wire is threaded so that portions thereof form the longitudinally-extending rods, a receptacle secured to the discharge end of the frame so that articles carried upon the carrier will drop therein, and a stop member pivoted in the transverse frame piece at the discharge end and having ingers adapted todbe turned up between the longitudinal ro s.

l0. In a dish-washing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a pair of endless chains, tranverse rods connecting the chains and together therewith forming an endless carrier, and a plurality of small parallel rods 4extending' longitudinally of the frame in the plane of movement of portions of said trans' verse rods, so that articles placed on the longitudinally-extending rods will be carried thereover by the transverse rods, said transverse rods havin recesses in one side thereof to receive the longitudinal rods and being pivoted in said chains so as to prevent any angular movement relative to the longitudinal rods.

11. In a dish-washing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of pairs of sprocket wheels journaled toward the ends thereof, a

. pair of endless chains, a plurality of transverse rods connecting said chains, the ends thereof forming the axles of the chain links and co-operating with the sprocket Wheels to drive the endless carrier formed by the chains and rods, and a plurality of small parallel longitudinally extending rods connected to the ends of the frame, and co-operating with the upper side of the upper run of the carrier so that articles placed on the lonitudinal rods will be shoved along said rods y the endless carrier, said chains being composed of links with elongated slots therein,

said slots having parallel sides except at the center where the slots are widened to permit the insertion of the ends of the transverse rods when the parts are assembled, said rods having grooves in the ends thereof with flat bottoms to oo-operate with the parallel sides of the slots.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, of pairs of sprocket wheels journaled toward the ends thereof,

a pair of endless chains, a plurality of transverse rods connecting said chains, the ends thereof forming the axles of the chain links and 3o-operating with the sprocket wheels to drive the endless carrier formed by the chains and rods, and a plurality of small parallel longitudinally-extending rods connected to the ends of the frames and co-operating with the upper side of the upper run of the carrier so that articles placed on the longitudinal rods will be shoved along said rods by the endless carrier, said chains being composed of links with elongated slots therein, said slots havinor parallel sides except at the center where the slots are widened to permit the insertion of the ends of the transverse rods when the parts are assembled, said rods having grooves in the ends thereof with "fiat bottoms to co-operate with the parallel sides of the slots and annular channels adjacent the grooves to receive the other ends of the links co-operating with the grooves in adjacent rods to permit the chain to pass around the wheels while holding the rods from turning on the upper run while it co-operates with the longitudinally-extending rods.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, of pairs of sprocket wheels journaled therein, a plurality of parallel longitudinally-extending rods between the tops of the sprocket wheels, and a conveyor co-operating with the rods consisting of a plurality of transverse rods with recesses in one side thereof to receive the longitud'inally-extending rods and having a pair of opposed fiat-bottomed slots in each end and adjacent thereto an annular channel of a depth equal to the greatest depth of the slots, and links of a thickness substantially equal to the width of the slots and channel and having elongated slots therein with parallel sides and of a width equal to the diameter of the rods at the bottom of the annular channel except for the center where it is wide enough to receive the ends of the rods in assembling the same.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame, of pairs of sprocket wheels journaled therein, a plurality of parallel longitudinally-extending rods between the tops of the sprocket wheels, and a conveyor co-operating with the rods consisting of a plurality of transverse rods with recesses in one side thereof to receive the longitudinally-extending rods and having a pair of opposed flat-bottomed slots in each end and adjacent thereto an annular channel of a depth equal to the greatest depth of the slots, and links of a thickness substantially equal to the width of the slots and channel and having elongated slots therein with parallel sides and of a width equal to the diameter of the rods at the bottom of the annular channel except for the center where it is wide enough to receive the ends of the rods in assembling the same, the ends of the slots at one end of the link being curvedto fit the bottom of the channel and at the other end to fit the full thickness of Q25 and consisting of rods having annular grooves in the ends thereof connected by sheet-metal links having elongated openings therein extending nearly to theends thereof of a width slightly greater than the diameters of the bottoms of the annular grooves and having enlargements in the center thereof of a diameter slightly greater than the ends of the rods.

16. In a dish-washing machine, the combination with a framework, of two pairs of sprocket wheels journaled therein, and a skeleton carrier mounted upon the wheels and consisting of rods having annular grooves in the ends thereof connected by sheet-metal links having elongated openings therein extending nearly to the ends thereof of a width slightly greater than the diameters of the bottoms of the annular grooves and having enlargements in the center thereof of a diameter slightly greater than the ends of the rods, said rods also having additional grooves therein between the end grooves and c'o-operating with wires extending substantially parallel to the links and co-operating with said additional grooves so as effectively to divide the otherwise elongated openings in the carrier into short rectangular openings.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 12th da of April, 1929. WALDEMA L. LINDGREN. 

